Wisconsin receives failing grad for tobacco control (UNDATED)
Wisconsin receives failing grades for tobacco control. A new report from the American Lung Association shows that state tobacco control programs have just under $9 million in funding for the fiscal year 2026. That’s less than 16 percent of the state spending recommended by the Centers for Disease Control. The association is also calling on Wisconsin lawmakers to do more to reduce tobacco use among residents by raising the age of sale for tobacco products to 21, protect the state’s smoke free air law, and create tax parity between electronic and regular cigarettes. The report found that tobacco kills nearly 8,000 people a year in Wisconsin.
Democratic lawmakers introduce new legal cannabis legislation (MADISON)
Democratic lawmakers are renewing their push to legalize marijuana for adult use in Wisconsin. Milwaukee Representative Darrin Madison says the state is falling behind its neighbors, which have already legalized cannabis. He argues that politics—not public opinion—is holding Wisconsin back. Sun Prairie Representative Andrew Hysell adds that legalization is about personal freedom, noting Wisconsin is now one of the few states that still fully bans marijuana. The Democratic bill is expected to face steep challenges in the Republican‑controlled Legislature. Some Senate Republicans have introduced their own, more limited plan that would legalize medical marijuana.
Second GOP state senator steps away from reelection (WHITEWATER)
A veteran Republican lawmaker won’t be running for reelection. State Senator Steve Nass will not be on the ballot in November. The 72-year-old from Whitewater was elected to the state Assembly in 1990 and has held his state Senate seat since 2014. Nass is co-chair of the influential Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules which has been a stopping point for several changes Governor Tony Evers has tried to make at the Department of Natural Resources and other state agencies. In a statement, Nass said he has “proudly fought for the taxpayers” in his district and called “the affliction of big government a disease that afflicts both parties.”
Wisconsin DHS reports second case of measles (MADISON)
Wisconsin health officials are reporting a second case of measles. The Department of Health Services announced Monday that a student at UW-Madison tested positive for the disease. The student caught the disease during an international trip, and it is not related to a case from Waukesha last month. Anyone who was exposed to the student is being contacted by health agencies to monitor for the spread of measles. The US has seen a sudden spike in measles cases, with 588 reported as of last Thursday. UW Madison does not require students to be vaccinated from the measles to attend.